


But It Feels Like Home

by marelicarter (padmefuckingamidala)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Cooper is just happy to see his family happy, F/F, Let's go lesbians!, Lila is traumatized but her mom and Aunt Tasha are amazing, M/M, Minor Character Death, Minor Stucky, Multi, Nathaniel dies, Peter Parker is Trying His Best, minor steve/bucky, sorry Clint is shitty here, this is sad and I'm sorry but the point is Clint sucks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:48:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23644120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/padmefuckingamidala/pseuds/marelicarter
Summary: Lila screamed and held her baby brother. What else was there to do? It was bad enough she couldn’t touch him until the sparks died down, and even then his skin shocked hers. The arrow was too strong, meant for older people--bad guys. She wrapped him in a dusty sheet and held him close, hyperventilating over his stiff corpse, screaming for her father.Laura heard first. She was in the field, and she met her husband in the shed, both parents running as fast as they could. There were no words for the grief a parent feels watching both children in agony. Laura took Nathaniel’s body and Clint couldn’t help but stare at the scene before him.----After an accident on the farm, Clint runs from his family and leaves Laura to deal with the hole in her family. She doesn't know what to do. In the end, she calls Natasha.
Relationships: Laura Barton/Natasha Romanov
Comments: 1
Kudos: 34





	But It Feels Like Home

Lila cried until her throat stung and couldn’t produce a loud enough sound. Clint always kept his arrows out of reach of the children, but Lila was getting older and wanted to learn. All she wanted to do was shoot arrows like her dad, be a hero like her dad. So maybe once in a while they weren’t put high enough--Lila was still shorter, too, so that was the main reason. For that reason alone, Lila felt as if it was her fault.

She screamed for her father as loud as she could. She screamed until she felt lightheaded, until she fell to her knees and even then, she screamed some more. Nathaniel had followed her into the shed with the admiration any younger brother would have towards their older sister. Cooper was pent up playing video games and Clint was busy fixing the sink faucet. “Go do some practice shots,” he told her. “If you can make three arrows, I’ll take us for ice cream.”

“Eyth-keem,” Nathaniel kept saying. “Eyth-keem. Eyth-keem.” So Nathaniel followed her into the garage. It was harmless, until Nathaniel found the arrows before she did. He pulled them off a shelf, ignoring her screams and frantic footsteps, and the arrows scattered. But they weren’t the right arrows. They were Clint’s arrows--Hawkeye’s arrows--and not the basic ones. Sure, Lila liked shooting them just to get a feel for them. (Clint liked her using those, too. He liked knowing she was ready should anything happen to them--but that was a major what-if situation.)

The electric one pierced Nathaniel’s heart. One singular arrow, the worst of them all, had punctured his heart by chance, and he fell to the floor convulsing. Sparks danced along his body and his cries were reduced to whimpered breaths, but Lila felt sick watching it. It happened so fast, too fast to stop or--or--or--

She screamed and held her baby brother. What else was there to do? It was bad enough she couldn’t touch him until the sparks died down, and even then his skin shocked hers. The arrow was too strong, meant for older people--bad guys. She wrapped him in a dusty sheet and held him close, hyperventilating over his stiff corpse, screaming for her father.

Laura heard first. She was in the field, and she met her husband in the shed, both parents running as fast as they could. There were no words for the grief a parent feels watching both children in agony. Laura took Nathaniel’s body and Clint couldn’t help but stare at the scene before him. “Clint,” Laura muttered through her tears, “Lila needs you. Clint? Clint, baby, please. Don’t leave her alone right now.”

Lila was sobbing even harder under her father’s gaze. “No--I tried to get him. He didn’t stop, and they were sitting--he pulled them down--dad, I tried. I tried so hard please tell me, tell me--tell me, tell me, is he gonna be o-okay? You can fix it, right? Dad, you can fix it?”

When Nathaniel died, age three and tucked into Laura’s shaking arms, Clint wasn’t the same. Something in his head just snapped and if he wasn’t moving or doing something, he didn’t feel useful or important. A blind man, Laura would have called him. Nathaniel wasn’t the only child there. Lila was lost, as if it was her fault, but Clint remained silent throughout most of the day and didn’t give her the comfort she desperately needed. Laura cried until her eyes were too dry, and by that time, she was too late to pull Clint back into his fatherly roles. He was broken completely, his heart gray and dull and nothing working to warm it back up.

And then he left. He couldn’t bear to watch the life drain from Laura’s eyes, or to watch his other two children avoid him, or—anything. Lila refused to leave her room, and if Cooper didn’t bring her a plate after he finished his dinner, she simply didn’t eat. Clint didn’t see how other people suffered--instead, he decided that living anymore was a chore. He packed his bags, told Laura he’d be back, and he left.

Three weeks into his vacation, Laura called Natasha. There were so many people on her side of the family to call, maybe, but the uncertainty held her back. They weren’t even that close. They wouldn’t even know that Nathaniel died, and they certainly didn’t keep it touch. A short phone call sent to voicemail was left for Natasha before life returned back to its normal state of misery. 

When Nat got the message, she packed a bag and took off without a question. The farm wasn’t in the normal state of busy work it usually found itself in. Clint was nowhere to be seen--he must have been in trouble since Laura was the one to call, though, she had to admit, they were close enough that it didn’t raise an immediate red flag. She walked to the door with a feel of unease. No one had greeted her yet, and the dog wasn’t even barking at the sound of her footsteps. Well, her heart was heavy enough. She didn’t even knock; Nat pushed the front door open and watched as Cooper picked up the nearest item and threw it at her as hard as he could. She was able to step aside and away from the toss--a baseball, it was--but she didn’t miss the way the house felt empty.

“Aunt Tasha?” Cooper looked pretty…. Bad? Was that the word? His eyes drooped and his face seemed dull. The television was off for once, which was strange. Natasha was used to walking into the home and hearing the silly songs of children shows. Laura and Nathaniel would look up at her and Nathaniel would waddle over to see her as quickly as a toddler could. This felt wrong. The tone in Cooper’s voice felt wrong.

“Hey, buddy,” she murmured, smiling at him as she straightened up, setting her bag on the ground and closing the door behind her. Good thing Cooper threw a baseball. She didn’t want to clean up any glass or other broken things from the floor. “Boy, you’re getting taller. Where is everyone?”

Cooper ran towards her and hugged with all of his might. The question remained unanswered, unhelpful for her nerves, which only grew as she hugged him back and felt the way Cooper’s heart beat inside his chest. “Mom didn’t say you were coming,” he said softly. “Can I get you anything? I can set up the guest room if you’re staying.”

“It’s okay,” she told him. “You just play. Do you know where your mom is?”

“In her room.”

True to his word, Natasha found Laura lying in bed, staring blankly at the wall. Her usually quiet footsteps fell heavy to alert of her arrival. As soon as the door closed behind her, Laura jumped, lurching to a sitting position. Fuck, she looked horrible. “Nat,” she croaked, voice thick with tears. Natasha saw how red her eyes were, how hollow her cheeks became, and fuck, it just broke her heart to see her like that.

She sat beside her and took Laura into her arms. “Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay, just breathe, Lar. Is everyone alright? I didn’t see Nathaniel or Lila yet--or Clint now that I think about it.”

After a panic attack--which Laura never experienced before, so that was a mess in itself that broke Nat’s heart even more--Laura finally fessed up. She spoke with a blank face with tears racing towards her chin, as if the story didn’t matter anymore. With a wavering, low voice, she told her friend how her child died, how her other child blamed themself, and how her husband left with the guilt instead of staying to comfort.

“Shhh, it’s okay,” Nat all but cooed. “I can talk to him, I’ll knock some sense into him”

“I can’t,” Laura mumbled, trembling under Nat’s touch. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t want to be here. Everyone’s gone and I don’t even feel like it’s a home anymore. He’s probably off in Stark’s tower in his fancy suit because he doesn’t think any of us have feelings about it, either!”

Nat grabbed her face gently in her palms, trying her hardest to steady her. “He’s not,” she murmured. “He’s not there. I don’t know where, Laura, but listen to me. If you want out of here just say the word, and I can pull strings. You can stay with me if you don’t want to be alone. I’m sure the kids would love to stay with Aunt Tash. Come to the city, don’t sit in the quiet anymore if you need a way out.”

Nat hadn’t even been there for an hour before already picking up the pieces. Her eyes were serious--Laura couldn’t look away. She needed that stability. “Do we have to leave right now?”

“Of course not,” she murmured. “But I do want to check on Lila.”

Laura wanted to be selfish and make Nat stay, but she was supposed to be a good parent. She pulled away. “She won’t talk to me,” Laura whispered. “I feel helpless, I can’t even talk to my own daughter.”

Nat smiled. ‘That’s what aunts are for, silly.” She pulled the covers over Laura and walked quietly out of the room and down the hall to Lila’s. She wasn’t in any better shape than her mom, and Nat would argue that perhaps, she was worse. There were full plates of food sitting there, molding and attracting flies. Blankets and pillows were strewn everywhere, but oddly, nothing else was out of place. She was just dead to the world, possibly adding to the foul stench of the room. Nat stepped out and shouted, “Cooper!”

He appeared, and Nat handed him the plates. “Careful,” she murmured, noticing how his nose twisted in disgust. “Just try to scrape the food off the best you can. I’ll wash the dishes, okay?” He nodded and disappeared, leaving Nat with Lila.

“Hey,” she whispered, stepping towards the girl’s still frame. “I brought you another bath bomb. Wanna try it out? It’s supposed to be super relaxing.”

No answer.

“I need new shoes for a date,” Nat lied. “I was wondering if you would help me pick them out.”

Nothing.

Well, this was… hard. “There’s a Milkshake Factory on the way,” Nat said. “I promised you that you could be the first to introduce me. I heard it’s really good, and I really need a girl’s day.”

Lila said nothing.

Nat sighed. “Lila, you smell. The room smells, and I know that makes it harder to get out. Take a shower.”

Lila hiccupped but didn’t roll over, so Nat picked her up, grabbed her a towel, and marched her into the bathroom. The girl continued to stay silent as Nat turned the water on and opened the shower curtain. “You have half an hour,” Nat said. “And then we’ll get you some dinner. I’ll leave the door open a crack if you need me, okay?” She walked out, yelled to Cooper to stay out of the bathroom and began her work in Lila’s room. Everything came off the bed and was thrown into the washer. She armed herself with febreze and sprayed everything before vacuuming. Slowly but surely, a nicer smell replaced the bad.

When Nat was finished, she headed to the bathroom to find a soaking wet Lila wrapped in a towel, fighting the tears. “Aunt Tasha,” she croaked, fighting to meet her gaze, “would you dry my hair?”

Natasha dried her hair after drying her tears, then handed her some fresh clothes to change into. Lila cried some more. Her hair was soft, though, and not greasy like it was before, which in itself was relieving. Life had hit her full swing with one simple scene laid out in front of her. It wasn’t fair that it affected her so drastically, but at the same time, no one blamed her for taking it so hard. Nat ran the brush through her hair after Lila was dressed just to double check her work, and smiled. “All done,” she told her. “How about we sit on the couch and get something to eat? I can make you whatever you want.”

“How’d you learn to cook?”

“Ha-ha,” she muttered, leading her down the stairs. “Bruce taught me. Surprisingly, he cooks very well.” Which was a lie. Clint cooked. Sure, Bruce wasn’t bad, but she learned from Clint because she was closer to him--she wasn’t about to bring him up, though, especially not after everything that just happened. 

Part of her understood why Clint was being so closetted about it but another part of her, a much bigger part, was so fucking pissed off at him. How could he be so careless with his other children? Sure, Clint’s father was the actual worse and that just happens sometimes. Nat didn’t even know her father. All she remembered was the Red Room and the horrible feeling of disgust in her core towards her past, but when a child was brought into the world, that changed everything. Maybe Natasha was biased. She didn’t have any kids of her own but she knew she loved Clint’s kids. She also loved Morgan with all of her heart, and she and Happy spent a lot of time with her while Pepper ran a business and Tony recovered. Especially after Thanos nearly won and wiped out half of the earth--Natasha thought Clint would be more protective and caring for his family.

Laura even told him that one night, when she brought Clint back from the battle. “I couldn’t imagine if he’d won,” Laura mumbled into his shoulder. “The chance that we could have been separated… please promise me if anything happens to any of us, you’ll care for everyone left. I don’t care if it’s one of us or almost all of us. You better care for whoever’s left.”

Clint nodded, still holding her tight. “Yeah, Lar. I’m not backing away any time soon.”

“Aunt Tash?”

Nat looked over at Lila, who stood nervously in the doorway. “Hmm?”

“Maybe….” She fiddled with her fingers and twisted the hem of her shirt. “Maybe if you make some mac n cheese and eat with me, that would be good.”

So Natasha made a whole box and they split it. After eating--which Lila suddenly came to life at the feeling--they returned upstairs but instead, Lila lied in her mom’s bed. Her bedding was still in the wash and Natasha directed her to see her mother, anyways.

They cried. They sobbed and Nat teared up until they all fell asleep in the same bed with the lights on. For once, Cooper could sleep soundly without hearing his sister cry herself to sleep.

Natasha woke up in the early morning to find Laura packing. She buzzed around the room in shorts and a sloppy t-shirt that used to be Clint’s. Her hair was pulled back and for once, she didn’t look just like a mom. She looked like a person first, someone who knew this and cared for herself just as much as she cared about everyone else. Her hair was wet, pulled up and tucked into a towel resting on the top of her head. Nat didn’t realize until after she sat up that Lila wasn’t in bed with her.

“It’s okay,” Laura said softly, glancing towards her. “She went to pack. Her and Cooper are pretty excited for this vacation. They thought they’d spend all summer pent up on the farm.”

Nat stretched and yawned. “I’m glad I dropped by, then.”

After plenty of coffee and a decent breakfast--cooked by Nat of course--they loaded up in the quinjet and made their way to Stark’s tower. 

They took pity on her, but who wouldn’t? The entire first week, the whole team was on pins and needles, but Cooper was determined to make the best of it. He excitedly spent time pestering the guys, clearly lost without a father figure that he had until suddenly he didn’t. Dr. Banner taught him things, Stark didn’t mind having a shadow, but the best time was the time spent with Steve. Cooper thought Steve was the best, and did everything with him. Even when Bucky was around, he happily hung out with the both of them. Bucky, however, wasn’t the role model for Cooper. Wrong Barton kid. 

Lila craved for redemption while Laura sought to leave her loneliness behind. It wasn’t an easy road for either of them--at least not until Bucky polished his knives at the table as Lila picked at her breakfast. Her eyes remained glued to the weapons in his hands with wonder and hope, which eventually faded into fear. A knife would have been worse. Maybe. Would it have been? Nathaniel could have really hurt himself with a knife, no matter the size. It wouldn’t have electrocuted him. Fuck. Lila realizes that if maybe she had been involved with knives instead, her baby brother would still be alive. 

“You interested in fighting?” Bucky asked quietly. His voice was gruff and he’d obviously gone through a lot in his life. Was there anyone better than him to talk her through what she was feeling?

Laura said nothing, even when Lila looked at her for an answer. Lila shook her head. “No,” she said, looking back at her cereal and trying not to look at the knives again. “Not really.”

“Oh. Just interested in knives? They’re useful to have for hunting, I guess farming, too.”

“They’re dangerous,” she blurted without thinking. “I’m not trustworthy around one.”

Bucky slid one her way, handle-first. “What’s your first instinct?”

“To cry.”

“Why? I trust you.”

“You shouldn’t,” she said with tears in her eyes. “You might end up dead, too.”

Laura’s heart snapped in her chest. To watch her daughter so heartbroken and miserable, racked with guilt, remorse, self-loathing, was painful in itself. Every instinct told her to say something, to ease the pain the best she could, but Bucky stood up pulled out another knife. “This one folds in on itself,” he said, taking his other knife back. “And it has a clip. This stays on you at all times, no one else can grab it. It’s impossible. You’re in charge of it the entire time--understand?”

Lila nodded and took the knife without a comment from her mother. Laura should have said something. Anything. Just a word or two. But by the time her throat allowed anything to be said, Bucky had fallen silent again and Lila finished her breakfast.

Laura didn’t like sleeping alone. It was different when Clint was on missions because he would at least say goodbye before leaving their bed empty for several nights. Five weeks had gone past, and it wasn’t getting any easier. Stark was nice enough to give them each their own rooms--lord knew they had enough--leaving Cooper and Lila to sleep in the same hall, but down from Peter’s room for when Cooper wanted to hang out with him.

It was Laura’s turn to run down the hall. She felt like a kid again, a teenager after a heartbreak that shouldn’t have hurt so bad, wrapped in a blanket and knocking frantically on her friend’s door.

Nat opened it and didn’t get a chance to say anything before Laura shuttered and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “Can I stay with you tonight?”

“Of course. But I can dibs on being the big spoon, so tie your hair back.”

Laura settled into bed, but when Nat followed suit, she realized that she wasn’t joking. Nat’s chin rested on to of her head and her arm was thrown over her side, already comfortable and drifting back to sleep. Laura has never slept so good.

It happened a lot. It was to the point that after the sixth night, Laura just walked straight into Nat’s room. “Thank God,” Nat groaned, “I was so tired of getting up to let you in after getting comfortable.”

Things kept up like that for quite some time, and the others seemed to notice. Except for the kids, that was. They were rather oblivious to things, like the way Laura seemed to cling to Natasha or the way they sat across from each other and blushed like little school girls.

Laura realized it first. She hadn’t felt that way since Clint proposed to her—she loved him. Maybe she didn’t love him, though. Who could love a man that walked out on her? More importantly, her kids? Their kids? Lila was spiraling and Cooper was reserved, and they didn’t do a goddamn thing for Nathaniel except for cry over his cold body and close his damn eyes. Natasha met her cloudy eyes and grabbed her hand from across the table. “It’s okay,” she said softly, giving her hand a squeeze. “Want me to go check on the kids?”

Laura nodded and looked back down at her dinner plate. She could have easily asked FRIDAY to see but Nat didn’t care; she stood up and made her way to the elevator. And that was when Laura realized how much she loved Natasha Romanoff.

Peter hung out with Cooper. They were basically the same age and Cooper loved the idea of having friends here. Peter would bring Ned and the three of them would build Legos together, which seemed fine, until they realized they could be a trio of merry men and if Ned was the guy in the chair, Cooper could be ... we don’t know. They still haven’t figured it out yet. 

But Peter noticed the way Lila stuck back. She would sit in a room with Bucky and feel okay but the moment he left, she would retreat to her own room. The others were nice and Sam took a liking to her. He took the kids out for ice cream and watched as Peter, Ned and Cooper had fun but Lila shyly ate her ice cream. Once a woman with a toddler rolled up Lila broke down and announced she’d wait in the car. Cooper told them the whole story and slowly, Peter’s wheels started turning in his brain.

Mr. Stark ate up the story, too. Peter blabbed and blabbed until finally Tony let him do something about it. It took a week to put together, but when it was done, Peter felt nothing but pride and excitement.

Lila followed Peter down to the lab per request. She entered the room and was met with a very sleep-deprived Tony Stark. “Hey, sweetie,” he called out, standing next to the coffee pot. “How’s your stay so far?”

“Very nice, thank you, Mr. Stark,” she said almost robotically.

Tony tried not to frown. “You okay?”

“Yes, Mr. Stark.”

“God,” he groaned, “you’re worse than Pete. Okay. Kid, you’re fine. You don’t have to walk on eggshells and be polite. We’re all friends here. Is there anything I can get you that will make your stay better?”

Lila shook her head. “No. Even without the formalities, I’m still pretty happy with my stay. FRIDAY let me put together a playlist, that’s awesome.”

“I bet it is.” He grinned and, taking his fresh cup of coffee, walked back over to the lab tables. “Peter and I made a surprise for you. Well, your brother helped a bit too.”

“What is it?”

Tony held up a fitness watch and said, “Give me your non-dominant hand.” She held out her left arm and Tony strapped it around her wrist. “Now here’s the surprise part,” Tony said, stepping back and pulling Peter with him. “Hit the face of the watch with your palm—“

“Like Ben Ten!”

“—dude, shut up. So hit it with your palm and draw your arm back like you’re holding a bow and arrow.”

Her face paled. “Mr. Stark—“

“Trust me.”

So she did it. It was like a hologram but she could feel it materialize beneath her fingers. She drew it back and held it, ready to shoot, trying desperately to ignore the shake in her knees. But it was too late. She dropped the bow and arrow, letting them fall to the floor and break apart into hundreds of holographic crystals that eventually faded and disappeared all together. “I can’t!”

Tony was frozen in fear, met with a reaction that wasn’t expected in the least. “Whoa, it’s okay,” Peter said quickly, rushing towards her. He dropped to his knees beside her but she was too worried, too afraid, especially to touch Peter. “Lila, look at me. It’s okay.”

“No!” she sobbed. Lila’s arms were raised in mock surrender. “Get back.”

“Lila, it’s okay.”

“I don’t want it to explode,” she cried, shoulders shaking. “I-I could have killed you! I can’t kill anymore people I just can’t, Pete, I can’t—I-I—“

“Fuck,” Tony hissed finally. He knew the beginnings of a panic attack when he saw it. “FRIDAY, we need Laura down here.”

“She stepped out to take Cooper for a haircut.”

They watched the pre-teen cry her eyes out and near a panic attack, heaving and trying not to fall to the floor. Peter looked around desperately; Lila continued to shy from his touch and refused to get too close, flashbacks of Nathaniel’s tiny body resting in her arms dead and staticky. 

“Who do we call?” Peter cried. “Laura’s out, Nat will kill us—“

“Should we have Laura come back?” Tony asked. “Pete, I don’t know. She’s not comfortable enough with me for me to make decisions. We need someone she knows a little better.”

The sight was breaking Peter’s heart. This was supposed to be wonderful, a happy surprise, where she was in control of the bow but instead it turned into a nightmare before his very eyes. Lila could barely breathe with the harsh force of her sobs. He couldn’t take it anymore. “Uh—FRIDAY, tell Sergeant Barnes to come to the lab immediately.”

After a moment, the AI replied back with, “He’s on his way, Peter.”

As soon as Bucky entered the room, he saw Lila and kneeled down to talk with her. “Hey! Hey, it’s okay. Why did you call me?”

“Laura’s not in,” Peter said shakily. He stood up as if to retreat. “You’re good with me and—she trusts you. Too. I… Sergeant Barnes, please just help.”

Bucky wasn’t a fool. One look at Lila and he felt true fear once again. His flesh hand wiped her tears but before he could back away, her hands grasped into his thumb—his metal one. The heartbreak set in worse; without a second though he called out, “FRIDAY, please page Natalia.”

“Ms. Romanoff is on her way, Sarge.”

Oh no. Tony hid his panic but Peter’s was very outwards. Nat would kill them—everyone saw the way Nat cared for them, as if she was their mother as well, and they could only imagine the pain they’d endure for sending Lila into a panic.

The doors opened smoothly and in walked in a calm and collected Natasha, with her hair pulled up and one of Laura’s t-shirts on. “FRIDAY said Bucky needed me, what’s up?” Nat asked. Then, it happened. Lila came into view. She stopped with a clenched jaw; to an outsider it looked like no big deal, no wide eyes or gasps on Nat’s part, but Tony knew that look. He plastered on a straight face and waited.

Bucky turned to her with Lila in his arms. Fat tears ran down to her chin and the death grip she had on Bucky’s metal hand was enough to make Nat’s mind scream danger. “They called me—“

“They what?”

“—but this is your department. I don’t know what happened.”

Upon seeing Nat, Lila ran towards her and pressed herself into Nat’s chest. She cried harder than she ever did—excluding the Nathaniel incident. Natasha picked her up and glared at the boys, like a mother lion protecting her cub. “What. Happened?”

Both Peter and Tony babbled over the story, recounting how they all got here and what they did.

“Why the fuck would you pull a stunt like that?” she demanded with a growl. “She’s shaking. Peter, I’m completely disa-fucking-pointed in you.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Romanoff,” Peter mumbled with his head down.

“You’d better be,” she spat. “Tony, you stay the fuck away from Lila until she forgives you.”

“It’s okay,” Lila sobbed. “I—“

“Until I forgive you,” Nat corrected. “FRIDAY, please sync with Karen and tell her to install hourly reminders that I’m fucking pissed at Peter.”

“Yes, Ms. Romanoff. Karen will have them installed right away. Would you like me to do the same for Mr. Stark?”

“No,” Nat said, watching Tony take a relieved breath. “I want his to go off every five minutes. And if he overrides them, you contact me immediately.” Nat had nothing more to say as she turned with Lila in her arms and stormed out of the room.

Once they were in Lila’s own room, Nat set her on the bed and wiped her eyes. “It’s okay,” she whispered into Lila’s hair. “I’m sorry they did that to you.”

“I’m scared I could have killed them,” Lila gasped, wiping her eyes frantically before grabbing Nat’s arms. “All I could see was Nathaniel and I’m so afraid you won’t love me anymore. I killed your God son. I killed him, I—“

“You didn’t,” Nat said sternly. She struggled to kick off her shoes with her own feet as she spoke, but worked on them victoriously and climbed into bed with her. Lila clung to her before Nat could pull her back. “Lila, you didn’t do anything. You tried to save him, and if you don’t know how to handle the arrows, it would have been worse. You did good. You did great, Lila.”

“But you don’t know that!” Lila pushed her back--or at least tried to--and pressed herself against the wall. “Don’t touch me! I killed him and everyone’s just trying to sweep it under the rug and act like it's alright!”

Maybe this should have been a talk Laura should have done, but Nat was here now, and she couldn’t just walk away. “You’re right, it’s not alright. But it’s not your fault. None of it is, and that’s not fair to you.”

“I let him in the shed!” Lila snapped.

“You let him in first because of the step,” Nat told her, suddenly remembering the ins and outs of Clint’s farm. “The concrete step. You didn’t want him hitting his head.”

“I’d rather my brother have a concussion than be dead,” she sobbed. “It’s my fault Nathaniel’s dead and it’s my fault that dad left.”

“No.” Nat’s voice was harsh and firm, opposite of her fingers as they gently moved Lila’s chin, forcing her to look up at her. “Your dad’s leaving is his own fault. He should have been there for you, Lila. You, your mom, and your mother. And when he comes back, I’m punching him.”

Tears continued to run down Lila’s face, and while breathing was a little easier on her end, she still hadn’t calmed down completely. “He looked at me as if I was the worst thing that ever happened,” Lila breathed, shoulders hunched and chest heaving. "I was the scum of the earth and I wish it was me instead of Nate.”

The tears came out of nowhere on Nat’s part. It startled her; warm and quickly rolling down her face, the only clue to her crumbling persona of strength. “Don’t say that, Lila.”

“If I could go back in time and trade spaces, I would,” she cried, drawing her knees up to keep distance between herself and her aunt. “Mom wouldn’t be so sad, and dad wouldn’t be so disappointed. Everything I do is wrong but if I could be the one to die instead of Nate, it’ll be better. It’ll be alright, and I won’t have to be so useless--”

Natasha grabbed her face and held it still, gentle between her soft palms. “Don’t you dare say you’re useless. You have just as much value as your brothers do, and trading spaces wouldn’t solve anything or take away any of the hurt or your dad’s dumbassery.”

“He wouldn’t have left if it was me,” Lila challenged, her hands wrapping around Nat’s wrists. “If I died everything would be okay! Mom wouldn’t be miserable and dad wouldn’t leave, and Cooper wouldn’t have to sacrifice his summer just because of me.”

“Cooper,” Nat started, “is having the summer of his life hanging out with Peter and Ned. They’re buddies, Lila, and I don’t think Cooper blames you for anything. In fact, Cooper is only struggling with the toxic idea of being the man of the house.”

The grip Lila held around her wrists tightened. “He doesn’t have to be the head of the household,” she said through slowing tears and a snotty nose. “That’s your job now.”

“My job?”

“Cos you’re dating mom.”

The conversation ended there, with Nat unsure how to respond and Lila in the midst of a panic attack. Lila cried until her eyes got irritated, her throat scratchy and raw with pain. She’d been through so much, it hurt Nat’s heart nearly as much as the sudden you’re-dating-my-mom statement had been. There was so much to unpack with just those four words. When she was finally calm, she took a deep breath and let her head fall limp in Nat’s grasp, staring at her red curls. They gave her something to focus on while she wasn’t strong enough to look her in the eyes. Not yet, at least. Nat was the best aunt ever and now, the relationships were getting moved around and tousled right before their eyes--Lila wasn’t stupid. She saw how her mother clung to Natasha, but deep down, something inside of her wished for more. 

“Aunt Tasha?” Lila murmured.

“Hmm?”

“Do you love my mom?”

Nat could have played stupid. The determination of Lila’s tone led her to believe the underlying intentions, despite how awkward it may have been without previously clarifying anything with Laura. “I don’t think we’re dating,” Nat whispered, rather than answering the question. “And I’m sorry. Your dad will come back--”

“I don’t want him back,” Lila said suddenly. “I… I don’t need him. I don’t want to be looked at like a disappointment anymore.”

“I love you, Lila,” Nat murmured and placed a kiss on her forehead. “And you are not a disappointment.”

They both sat in silence for a moment, before Lila slowly pulled Nat’s hands away from her and shimmied under the covers. “Do you love my mom?” she repeated, head against the pillow but her mind still clearly running like crazy.

How do you answer a question that loaded? How does the truth come out, especially to a kid, and how does the guilt not eat at your stomach. Time must have passed before Nat had her answer ready; the girl’s eyes were closed and her breathing was more regulated. “Yeah,” Nat whispered in a weak voice, smoothing Lila’s hair back. She couldn’t lie to her at all. Not after the confessions and the misery--Lila didn’t need anymore to worry about. “I think I love your mom.”

Lila grinned lazily for just a split second. “ At least I know you won’t leave us like dad did,” she mumbled, half-asleep, and that was all to be said about that.

What the fuck are you supposed to say to a kid after something like that? Natasha pushed herself to sit up before kissing her forehead and climbing to her feet. “Get some rest, Lila. Have FRIDAY page me if you need anything, okay?”

“Okay,” she echoed sleepily. “Love you, Aunt Tasha.”

“Love you, too, squirt.”

Natasha didn’t see Laura until later that night. She had a little “date” with Cooper, taking him for a haircut and a pair of sneakers. It was nice. They hadn’t exactly bonded like that since before Nathaniel’s death and Laura felt bad about it. “At least you didn’t leave,” Cooper said, muffled by a milkshake.

The duo sat in a booth at a diner, waiting for their food. Cooper had to admit--it was nice to finally spend some time with his mom and do something with her outside of the tower. Sure, it was nice and all, but when he was told he was getting a vacation from the farm, he wanted to experience more of the city. There was nothing to hold him back from tasting funny foods or new things that he wouldn’t have out in his rural area. Deep down, he was truly a momma’s boy. So if he had Peter laugh at his haircut in front of Laura just to get his mom to make an appointment, well…. Cooper had to call Peter a true friend. Tony slapped him for laughing but Cooper was more than happy his friend had his back.

“I’m sorry,” Laura said, unsure of what else to say to that. “I--I don’t know why he did it, but Coop--”

“You’re here,” Cooper interrupted. “You’re still here and still my mom. That’s all I want. Dad couldn’t even be sad around us, he was too much of a coward and left you to handle everything. I’m happy you’re seeing Aunt Tasha instead.”

At his last admission, Laura grabbed his arm and pulled him back to her. A million thoughts were swarming around in her head. “Hey, whoa. You can’t just say stuff like that and walk off. What do you mean?”

“I thought…” He looked at his shoes. “I thought you were with Aunt Tasha. You guys sleep in the same room and you always seem happier around her. I haven’t seen you wear your wedding rings in a long time, either.”

Laura, once again, didn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Cooper said stubbornly. “Hey, mom, no. Aunt Tasha has done more for us these past few months than I think dad ever has. You had to beg him to retire. You had to beg him to come back home. At least now, I have a whole family, and dad wasn’t the missing piece. Togetherness was. Aunt Tasha gave me happiness I hadn’t felt in a long while.”

Laura pulled her son into a hug and held him close. “I love you, Cooper,” she croaked through thick tears. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, mom.” He kissed her cheek and smiled back at her when he pulled away. “Please don’t be sad anymore?”

“I’ll try.” But she couldn’t promise that--not when she still owed Lila a talk and a date.

Laura took a shower when she got home and got dressed before making her way down to Nat’s room. FRIDAY let her in rather than Nat having to get up, but when the door opened, she saw Natasha standing there with a pillow and a throw blanket.

“Oh. Laura, hey!”

“Do I snore?”

“What?”

“I just… did I do something?”

Nat shook her head but she’d obviously been caught red handed.

“Oh. Well put your shit back down, I’m sure you had a rough day.”

“No…”

“No?” Laura swallowed the lump in her throat but stepped towards her, just to reach out and touch her. Anything at this point. “Tasha, if I did something wrong, you don’t have to leave.”

“You don’t get it,” Nat said, taking a step back. “I’m not leaving. I just… I’ll sleep in your bed. Okay? You have mine, it’ll make you feel comfortable.”

“And what don’t I get?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Nat mumbled, and Laura finally realized how serious it was. Natasha liked her. It wasn’t a shock or disturbing subject because Laura was guilty of liking her back. Cooper thought they were together already--he noticed Natasha’s feelings, too. She blushed and tried to walk away, but Laura grabbed Nat’s face and pulled it to her own, kissing her with all the courage and night her body could muster up. 

When she pulled away Nat’s eyes were still closed. Laura smiled and closed her eyes, too. “I love you, Nat,” she whispered, thumbs gently swiping along Nat’s cheeks. 

“You have to consider Clint,” she said sadly. Never had Nat felt so low, so timid and useless. Her heart was beating frantically in her chest but Clint was still a problem. The underlying problem here, actually. “He fucked up. But once he comes back—“

“I don’t want him to. He didn’t just hurt me. He hurt our children, and honestly Natasha, you’ve been a better parent to them so far. You’ve given them a life they can grow into, and instead of wondering if something bad would ever happen, we’re prepared here. It’s a misfit family and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Nat shook her head. “No. Laura, no, you don’t mean that. You were so happy on your farm.”

“I was happy wherever my family was,” she murmured, leaning in to kiss her again. “And now I’m happiest here. Lila hasn’t been this happy in ages. Cooper is probably the smartest he’s ever been. And you make me happy.”

Nat said nothing, so Laura steps back. “I understand if this isn’t what you wanted,” she said. “No hard feelings. But everything I said was true. I love you, Natasha. And I love how sweet you are with my kids. I don’t want a goddamn thing to do with Clint Barton.” She turned to walk away but Natasha pulled her close again and buried her face in her shoulder.

They were too happy to sleep that night.

Months passed. Between kisses and hugs and cuddles during movie nights, days turned to weeks and weeks turned into months. Nathaniel would have been four. All Laura sees are chubby cheeks flattening out and a bright smile. Dirty, sticky, scraped and bruised, everything a young boy has ever been, but so happy and adventurous that it made Laura cry. Nat panicked and wiped her tears but Laura laughed through them. “It’s okay, Nat,” she whispered, smiling through it all. “I just miss him.”

“Clint?” Nat wasn’t sure what she hoped to get out of the answer, but she still felt 

Laura shakes her head. “No. I just miss Nathaniel. But I don’t think I could ever miss him.” 

Nat smiled back at her, her thumb still swiping gently against her cheek. “It’s okay to miss him,” she told her. “He’s your husband.”

“For better or worse,” Laura reminded with a nod, “but he wasn’t man enough to stick through the worse. I just want you, Nat. That’s all I want.”

Lila was finally a teenager and Cooper was so close to another birthday that it makes Natasha feel old. She laughed and teased the kids, who have basically become her own, 

When Laura saw Clint, she didn’t know what to feel. She watched him walk into the common room covered in grime and dirt and sitting with her legs propped up on Nat’s lap, but there wasn't any relief or magic in her eyes as she did so. This was the man that proposed to her, that married her, that fathered her children--but it was also the man that left her to grieve by herself. Clint locked eyes with her and slowly, a sad smile spread across his face. “Hi--”

“Get away from me.”

Nat looked over at her, shocked. “Don’t start, please.”

“I don’t want to see him.”

“You’ll have to talk to him soon enough,” Nat said quietly.

Instead of heeding Nat’s words, Laura stood up and grabbed her book. “He made me wait, so I’ll make him wait. I’m going to the room--join me?”

That had to be the most dangerous territory in history. Nat looked to Clint—who stood with wide eyes and shoulders squared, watching the situation okay out before him—and saw nothing but sadness and fear. Fear that he lost, or will lose, all he had left. “Tasha,” he mumbled, as if begging her to stay.

And then she took Laura’s hand and followed her from the room.

The next time they saw him was at dinner, and the kids saw him too. Lila felt anger bubble inside of her and before she could suppress it, she hugged her mom and then Nat, saying, “Hi mom! Hi mama.”

Nat froze in her seat--she’d never been a mother before, or barely acknowledged as one. There was a heavy connotation that came with being called a mom, the responsibilities much higher than those of a childless Avenger. A smile almost tugged at her lips as she met Laura’s happy gaze, but Clint was too angry to stand down or see how sentimental it was for her. “So is that your plan? You’re just going to put the kids up to your passive aggressive behavior, too?”

Cooper’s voice rang out before anyone else’s could. “No,” he said, “we’re old enough to see your bullshit without an adult showing us.”

“Language,” Nat told him.

“Don’t discipline my kid,” Clint growled. “He’s not yours.”

Cooper’s jaw was set and fist was curled. “You have a lot of nerve, Clint.”

Clint blinked. “What did you just call me?”

Laura let out a breath, already exhausted by the situation entirely. On one hand, Cooper’s feelings were valid. On the other, Clint did hold more power over her, and if she didn’t work with him, her kids could have been gone in a blink. “Coop,” she said quietly, “he’s still your father. Show him a little respect, please.”

“I don’t have any respect for a man that walks out when his family needs him the most.” Cooper pushed himself away from the table and left his plate, but pointed an angry finger in Clint’s direction before going too far. “If you make my sister or my mother cry again, just realize that I may not be able to take you alone. But I made some pretty cool friends that could accidentally snap your neck if you’re not careful.” And with that, he stormed off to his room.

Dinner was quiet for the most part--until Clint persisted they needed to talk.

“I don’t know what you want me to say,” Laura said, angrily pacing around her room which she hadn’t touched in months. It felt so cold and empty--everything of hers was in Nat’s room.

“Maybe a hello would be nice!” Clint snapped. “Or maybe a reason why you’re up Nat’s ass, or why you’re not wearing your wedding rings.”

“You’re the one that abandoned this, so don’t pin it all on me.”

“I left to clear my head, I didn’t fucking abandon you.”

Laura spun to face him with nothing but hate and rage in her eyes. “You left us when we needed you most. You weren’t the only one that lost something, Clint.”

“It doesn’t seem like the kids needed me anyways!” he shot back. “The kids won’t even call me dad, but suddenly, Natasha’s their other mom?”

“She was the only other one who helped them pick up the pieces. Lila has panic attacks like crazy and all she can think of is the way you looked at her like she was trash the day Nate died.”

Clint scoffed and held out his arms in emphasis. “So you’re gonna blame me for looking at her for killing Nathaniel?”

Laura froze, but her blood was far from cold. “Don’t you ever fucking say that,” she said in the nastiest whispered tone she could. Her teeth were bare in disgust at what he just said. “You--you honestly think Lila’s at fault? For you putting your arrows within his reach?”

“She let him in first.”

Laura shook her head violently, not believing she was hearing this correctly. “Stay the fuck away from me,” she hissed, backing towards the door, “and stay away from my children. I will pull strings and I will ask Stark for a favor. Believe me--you come near these kids and I’ll personally be a maid for Stark just to sue the ever living fuck out of you.”

“Laura--”

“Goodbye.” Rage boiling over, she left without another glance, and told FRIDAY that Clint Barton did not have access to Lila’s or Cooper’s rooms, not after what she’d just heard. Nat was waiting for her with open arms in her--well, their--room. Nat allowed Laura to cry her eyes out, but this time, they weren’t sad, helpless tears. They were cried out of anger and disgust, and Nat knew that feeling all too well.

And well, if she was given the status of mama by Lila, then by God, she was going to fulfill those motherly responsibilities. 

Another Tuesday meant that Lila was with Bucky, who in turn had been hanging out with Steve. Well. “Hanging out,” was a pretty weird term for it. Whenever they were around Lila they were walking on eggshells and nothing but “buddies” until Laura caught on. She walked Lila to the main doors and smiled at the duo who had asked about getting ice cream. Peter was already down there, waiting for Ned, but Cooper was in bed with a cold.

“Have fun, and don’t talk Bucky’s ears off,” Laura told Lila with a grin. “Oh. By the way I--where are your rings?”

Both men stopped and looked up at her. “Huh?”

“I--”

“What rings--”

“We--huh?”

Laura shook her head. “Sorry, not what I was going to ask. I just, you guys had rings? Well, Bucky’s glove is on and I guess his is just etched into the metal, but Steve, I don’t see yours?”

Bucky had gone with the first story he could think of. “He was holding it for a friend--”

“And I just wore it so I didn’t forget it--”

“--but uh, he got his ring back! So that’s why--”

“--yeah just married to his wife last week, so no need--”

“--no need to keep wearing it.”

They laugh it off awkwardly but Peter rolled his eyes, seeing straight through the terrible lies and institutionalized fear. The last part wasn’t their fault, but Peter understood how weird it must have felt. “Laura’s dating Natasha, guys, she isn’t homophobic.”

Steve nearly doubled over and let out a breath, his hands on his knees as he exhaled for what felt like hours. “Thank fuck,” he gasped, blinking.

Bucky breathed sharply through his nose. “Sorry, Laura, we just didn’t want you to get angry and keep the kids from us. We can’t exactly have kids of our own, but we really like being uncles.”

Laura smiled. “I’m glad my kids have good uncles, and nothing is going to change that. Peter, thank you for clarifying, but it isn’t nice to casually out people. Keep that in mind.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Laura. But the whole team kinda knows about you and Miss Romanoff.”

“I meant Steve and Bucky.” Laura ruffled his hair. “Be careful, kiddo. You guys have fun.”

The gang visited Steve’s favorite creamery, leaving Lila to feel almost like the odd one out. The boys talked and buzzed about anything and everything, and while Lila didn’t speak, she was just happy to be included. The world around her was much more peaceful than lingering at the tower, unsure if her father would be jumping out in hopes to talk. She didn’t want to feel betrayed anymore. She just wanted to exist in her own world, where sure, there would be ups and downs, but a hypocritical father wasn’t one of them.

Peter paused mid-bite and glanced around the store, just as Ned was in the middle of a story. “Hey,” he mumbled, “I got a weird feeling all of a sudden.”

“Like what?” Steve asked. 

“Like--”

A singular warning shot sounded into the air before he could finish.“Get on the fucking ground, now!”

People screamed and scrambled at the sound of the strange man’s voice. Bodies hit the floor before more gunshots would take their freedom to do that away, each one of them shaking and whining in fear. Bucky grabbed Lila and kept an arm wrapped around her as all of them sunk obediently to the floor, gazes flickering from everyone’s faces, unsure of what to do.

“I don’t have my suit,” Peter whispered.

“We got this,” Bucky whispered back. “You and Ned just have to stay with Lila, okay? And listen to Steve. If there’s just one, I can handle it, no problem.”

Stay with Lila? But she could defend herself. She still had the knife in her pocket that Bucky gave her. She still wore that smart watch that Peter and Tony made her. If she wasn’t so afraid, she could help. She didn’t have to be helpless or be watched, and she didn’t have to be looked at like a failure, not by her father, and not by anyone else. Lila could have done something.

“I want everything from the drawer,” the man demanded. “Don’t skimp. I have a man at each register.”

“Okay, more than one,” Steve muttered. “Still doable. They’re most likely not going to be trained.”

Lila looked at her watch. Easy. Right? She would have been okay...right?

She could hear the guys talking but it didn’t register in her mind. As soon as she saw the footsteps near her, her mind was dialed to eleven. Breaking free from Bucky’s grasp was the hard part. Her palm came down heavy on the face of the smartwatch and before she could breathe, she loosed an arrow directly into the startled man’s eye. Once it was shot from the bow it was no longer a hologram; no more transparent crystals, but instead, a true arrow, like her dad’s set, while the bow in her hand remained holographic.

Bucky was reaching to pull her back in, but she had faith in her shot. Her dad may not have been much of a man now, but she did have to hand it to him--he taught her how to be the best shot. Jumping up on their table and ignoring the whispers from Steve, Bucky, and Peter, she aimed at the unsuspecting men at the registers. There were only three of them, leaving four total if the one on the ground was counted. They turned to her, all startled like the previous, and she fired her arrows three in a row. Before the last arrow was loosed, the last man aimed his weapon and fired. Just as she released, she could feel something striking her through her abdomen, leaving a trail of fire through her skin.

The last robber fell to the ground, and she nearly fell backwards off the table. Bucky caught her body before it hit the ground, and before she felt the world go numb and staticky around her, all she could beg Bucky was, “Please don’t tell my mom.”

Laura and Nat sat outside Lila’s medical room and wait. Red eyes, tangled fingers, the whole deal. Laura wasn’t strong enough to lose another child--not now, not ever. Mothers shouldn’t have to outlive their children. Dr. Cho’s staff buzzed around them as if Natasha and Laura were statues, never moving and barely blinking.

“Is she okay?”

Laura looked up to see Clint, but said nothing. As soon as her eyes met his, tears swelled in her eyes once more.

Clint sighed. “Laura, you can’t ignore me. That’s our child, I have a right to know.”

Nat, sensing Laura wouldn’t speak, cleared her throat. “She got out of surgery,” she told him, “but they think there was a complication. They’re still in there with her now. Dr. Cho is, at least.”

Clint nodded. Good, he could live with that. An update was all he wanted. “That’s good,” he said quietly. “Nat. Uh, could I talk with Laura?”

Nat knew she had no say in it. She began to stand up when Laura grabbed her arm and choked on a sob. “I’m tired of giving you my time,” Laura cried to him, shaking as Nat sat back down and wrapped her arms around her. “All you do is take, and take, and take, and--Clint, I’m so tired of it. I’m tired of you doing this every time you screw up. I just want to sit here with my girlfriend and wait for my daughter to wake up.”

“That’s okay,” Clint said, kneeling in front of her. “Nat can stay, I’m sorry. Please don’t cry anymore.”

Nat pressed her lips to Laura’s forehead and rubbed her shoulders to keep her calm. Clint couldn’t deny that was what love looked like. His eyes were on Nat the entire time as she whispered in Laura’s ear and rocked gently in the seat with her, anything to calm her down. Instead of leaving when she needed someone the most, she stayed--and Clint had never done that before.

“I’m sorry,” Clint said again. “Just talk with me and I’ll give you space, okay? And we’ll figure it out again when you’re ready the next time.”

“Then get on with it,” she croaked, “because I can’t keep doing this.”

Sadly, he nodded. “Of course. I... first of all, how ‘over’ is it? I need to understand where you’re letting me stand, and I get that I have no right to have an opinion on where you put me.”

Laura sucked in a deep breath, leaning back against Nat for support. “I don’t think I could ever forgive you,” she admitted quietly, almost inaudible from the noise of the medical staff. “You hurt me so bad, I didn’t think I’d ever see the light again. Not only that, but you hurt our daughter--and that’s a million times worse than how you treated me. I picked up the pieces without you, and I don’t care if you’re not in my life anymore.”

“I understand.”

Nat remained quiet.

Clint looked down at his hands nervously before looking back up. “I… I’ll sign the divorce papers. Whenever, just let me know. And I’ll give you the house.”

“I might stay here with Nat,” Laura countered. “The kids love it here, Cooper and Peter are really good friends… I don’t think I could put them back into a house with such bad memories.”

Silence set in, just briefly, before Clint had to wipe his eyes. Losing the woman you loved most because of your own stupidity was one of the worst feelings ever. “I… I know,” he said. “...does Nat make you happy?”

Laura only nodded.

That was all Clint needed to know. Or, rather, that was all his heart could take. He pushed himself back to stand flat on his feet with a grunt and looked down at the women. He realized in that moment not only did he lose a wife, but he lost two best friends. “Find me when you’re ready,” he said, giving a sad smile before retreating.

The quiet was welcome. After a moment his footsteps died off and Laura finally felt a weight lifting from her shoulders. She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand and looked to Natasha shakily. “I think the happiest moment of my life was when Lila called you mama,” she murmured, sniffling still. “She looked so happy. I had you, and that made it clear that she knew about us… it just really felt like a family moment, you know?”

“Coop already knew?”

“I think everyone did,” Laura said, causing the two of them to laugh. She paused once the chuckles died off. “Nat? I know this hasn’t been easy, and I’m sorry you had to be the one to pick up all the pieces. But I didn’t know who else to call, and looking back, I don’t think there was really anyone else to call. The kids knew you well enough… when you came in, for once, I wasn’t afraid.”

Nat gently grabbed her face in her hands and made Laura look at her. “I would always come if you ask. The only thing that’s changed these past several months was how much I love you.”

Laura grinned. “Lila calling you mama doesn’t bother you?”

“Not at all,” Nat responded, kissing the tip of her nose. “I never thought I’d have a chance to be a mom.”

Before Laura could respond, the door opened, and the two women stood up to meet Dr. Cho’s relieved smile. “She’s doing great,” she told them both. “You’re welcome to see her now, but she might fall asleep again soon.”

They muttered their thank-yous and stepped through anxiously to see their daughter. Lila saw Nat first.

“Mama?”

“Hi, squirt,” she said, sitting on the edge of her bed. “How are you feeling after you little hero act?”

“Please tell me mom’s not mad,” Lila groaned weakly. “That’ll sway my answer.”

Nat kissed her forehead and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “No lies,” she encouraged. “No one’s mad. Just a little concerned.”

Lila smiled bravely, a marvel in itself, just as she saw her mom gently closing the door and rounding the wall. “I’m better now that both of my moms are here,” she said, and held out her arms so Laura could hug her.

Home was truly wherever the family was--and both Laura and Lila found it right here.


End file.
